WEBVTT
COUNTRY
AND STATE ARE DREADING AND THE
UNCERTAINTY CENTERS ON ONE GROUP
IN PARTICULAR.
EVER SINCE DRMP'S ELECTION NIGHT
VICTORY, THE LEGAL PROFESSION
HAS BEE BOOMING.
IF YOUR PARTICULAR FIELD HAPPENS
TO BE IMMIGRATION.
>> OUR PHONES HAVE BEEN RINGING
OFF THE HOOK.
PEOPLE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT
THEIR FUTURES, THEIR STAT US IN
THE UNITED STATES, WHETHER
THEY'LL BE DEPORTED.
REPORTER: HE SAYS CONCERN
CENTERS ON ONE GROUP IN
PARTICULAR.
>> CHILDREN WHO ARRIVED WITH
THEIR PARENTS AT A VERY YOUNG
AGE.
REPORTER: IN 2014 PRESIDENT
OBAMA THROUGH EXECUTIVE ORDER
GRANTED LEGAL STATUS TO ROUGHLY
# HUNDRED THOUSAND KIDS BROUGHT
TO THE U.S. BY THEIR PARENTS.
BUT PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP HAS
THREATENED TO REPEAL.
WHILE HE TOO THINKS THE
PRESIDENT'S OTHER WAS
UNCONSTITUTIONAL, SOUTH CAROLINA
SENATOR GRAHAM SAID HE DIDN'T
WANT TO SEE THE YOUNG LIVES
RUINED AND HAS COSPONSORED A
BILL CALLED THE BRIDGE ACT.
>> THIS LEGISLATION THAT I HAVE
WITH SENATOR DURBIN WOULD GIVE
THESE KIDS THREE-YEAR LEGAL
STATUS UNTIL WE CAN FIGURE OUT
HOW TO FIX IMMIGRATION IN A
PERMANEN FASHION REPORTER: THIS
ATTORNEY ALSO SPECIALIZES IN
IMMIGRATION AND SAYS THE TRUMP
PANIC HAS STRETCHED TO THOSE WHO
HAVE ALREADY BEEN NATURALIZED.
THOSE THOSE NEW CITIZENS, HE
STRESSES THERE'S NO REASON TO
WORRY.
AND DOUBTS MASSIVE DEPORTATION,
BUT WOULD LIKE SOME CLARITY FROM
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ABOUT
WHO IS DISQUALIFIED FROM
ACHIEVING LEGAL STATUS.
>> I'M HOPEFUL THAT
PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP WILL
PROVIDE MORE GUIDELINES,
SPECIFIC GUY LINES AS TO WHAT HE
HAS DEEMED AS CRIMINALS.
REPORTER: IN ADDITION TO THE
UNCERTAINTY, IMMIGRATION
ATTORNEYS SAY ANOTHER CONCERN IS
PENDING FEE INCREASES, A 25%
HIKE IN STATUS CHANGE
APPLICATIONS MEAN THAT COSTS
COULD GO FROM $1400 TO CLOSE TO

The inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump is 39 days away, and some who might be affected by changes in immigration policies are dreading the date.

Immigration lawyers said they have been getting many calls from people concerned about what might happen.

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"Phones have been ringing off the hook," attorney George Bruno said. "People are very concerned about their futures, their status in the U.S., whether they're going to be deported or not."

Bruno said that concerns center on one group in particular: "Children who arrived with their parents at a very young age."

President Barack Obama granted legal status in 2014 through executive order to 800,000 children brought to the United States by their parents. Trump has threatened to cancel the program.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, said he believes the president's order was unconstitutional, but he doesn't want to see young lives ruined. He has co-sponsored a bill called the Bridge Act.

"This legislation that I have with Sen. (Dick) Durbin would give these kids three-year legal status until we can figure out how to fix immigration permanently," Graham said.

Attorney Enrique Mesa also specializes in immigration, and he said the panic over Trump has stretched to those who have already been naturalized. For those new citizens, Mesa said there's no reason to worry. He also doubts there will be any sort of mass deportations, as threatened by Trump during the campaign.

But Mesa said he would like some clarity from Trump about who is disqualified from achieving legal status.

"I'm hopeful that President-elect Trump will provide more guidelines, specific guidelines as to what he has deemed as criminals," Mesa said.

In addition to the uncertainty, immigration attorneys said another concern is pending fee increases. A 25 percent hike in status-change applications means that the cost could go from $1,400 to close to $2,000, a price advocates said many people seeking legal status can't afford.